Pennsylvania Act 1731-320 (session 1) — VALIDATING CONVEYANCES TO RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES

Act text

VALIDATING CONVEYANCES TO RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES
                   Act of Feb. 6, 1731, 1 Sm.L. No. 320               Cl. 10
                                  AN ACT

     For the enabling religious societies of Protestants, within this
        province, to purchase lands for burying grounds, churches,
        houses for worship, schools, &c.
        Section 2.  Be it enacted, That all sales, gifts or grants,
     made of any lands or tenements within the province of
     Pennsylvania, to any person or persons, in trust, for sites of
     churches, houses of religious worship, schools, almhouses, and
     for burying grounds, or for any of them, shall be and are hereby
     ratified and confirmed to the person or persons to whom the same
     were sold, given or granted, their heirs and assigns, in trust
     nevertheless, and for the use of the respective religious
     societies, for whose use the same were at first sold, given,
     granted or purchased, according to the true intent and meaning
     of such gifts and grants; and that every sale, gift, grant or
     devise, of any such trustee or trustees, or any person or
     persons, in whose name or names the said lands for erecting
     churches, houses of religious worship, schools, alms-houses, or
     burying-grounds, within this province, were purchased, taken or
     accepted, or the heirs or assigns of such trustees, shall be and
     are hereby declared to be for the sole use, benefit and behoof
     of the said respective societies, who have been in the peaceable
     possession of the same for the space of twenty-one years, next
     before the tenth day of June, 1730, or for whose use the same
     were at first given, granted or devised, and no other.
        Section 3.  And be it further enacted, That it shall and may
     be lawful to and for any religious society of Protestants,
     within this province, to purchase, take and receive, by gift,
     grant, or otherwise, for burying-grounds, erecting churches,
     houses of religious worship, schools and alms-houses, for any
     estate whatsoever, and to hold the same for the uses aforesaid,
     of the lord of the fee, by the accustomed rents.
        Section 4.  Provided always, and be it further enacted, That
     nothing in this act contained shall be deemed, taken or
     construed, to enable any of the said religious societies of
     people, or any person or persons whatsoever, in trust for them,
     or to their use, to purchase, take or receive, any lands or
     tenements, by gift, grant, or otherwise, for or towards the
     maintenance or support of the said churches, houses of worship,
     schools or alms-houses, or the people belonging to the same, or
     for any other use or purpose, save for the uses in this act
     before mentioned.